Shimmer |✓|

//Alpha// Part 2

The Garou were lucky.  

Adrian was found unharmed, and apart from several Vampires there were no casualties at the Fairway. We went home to nurse our wounded as a clean-up squad removed the bodies, clearing the mess before sunrise. Cannily, I didn't lament for the fallen, but for us who created them. Supernaturals bloodied the Human world so carelessly, and with such little effort. How many more close-calls until we finally wrought our own destruction? 

On the ride home, back to my family's pretentious mansion on the hill, I sat resolutely beside my grandmother. There was cause for worry in the limo's unusually heavy silence. A deep gash marred Diane's smooth, bloodless cheek, otherwise she and my grandfather had escaped the Fairway unscathed. Her wound was shallow by Wolf standards-it should have healed by now, but I would be the last to give my grandmother added reason to worry.

Across the aisle, Charles stared fixedly through the window, contemplating the silk darkness beyond. His bloodied suit and slackened tie did nothing to breach his reserve. Even with the 106 degree pure-blood coursing through his veins, Charles was cold as the day his son died.

I couldn't be restrained any longer; my questions released in a flood. "What happened tonight? Why did the Revenant attack? Don't they realize they've broken the peace treaty? What does this mean? Are we at war?"

His ice-blue eyes narrowed but refused to leave the window. They were the same shade as his late son's, the only similiarity. "Leadership-worthy questions, and not for the likes of my overly-curious granddaughter." He drew his rigid, unrelenting shoulders ever straighter. "The time for alarm has ended. The situation will be handled--without your input."

"Good." Though I wasn't nearly satisfied. "I guess it's also not my place to question what will happen to the Vampires? The ones who survived tonight?" Technically, my kill streak still clocked at zero. Not that I minded being a virgin in that sense, but I was curious to know how we would avoid killing the rest.

Charles scoffed, reeling his gaze from the night and fastening it sharply on me. "The dead will burn. To the surviving Vampires, we shall extend the same courtesy. Consider it done." 

My mouth fell open at the horror. He's killed them. He's killed them all...

"How can you do this?" I shook my head at Charles. We had both gone too far, I with the questions, he with the liberty. "What will happen when the Revenant Council finds out you killed Vampires who could have been spared for questioning?" Even an idiot could see how my grandfather's actions enticed war. Charles was the fool for not realizing.

"How dare you question my authority?" His words carried the weight and anger of a slap. "You're a rogue in disguise--with all the cleverness of a fresh-born pup. Hold your tongue and heel! I am the Elder of this pack and I will do as I see fit!" Charles reached behind him, rapping the silver, wolf's head of his cane against the glass partition. The limo rolled to a halt, and beneath my grandfather's vicious, yellow glare, I almost regretted my tenacity. "Get out, Naomi. Your bullheadedness saw you through the attack, let it see you home."

"Charles!" Diane couldn't resist coming to my defense. "It isn't safe, we shouldn't let her walk the streets alone--"

"No, grandmother, it's fine." I backed my assurance with a warm and tender smile. "Don't worry, I think tonight I proved I can handle myself. See you at breakfast." I kissed her good cheek, startled by its coolness, yet masking my surprise with the same bullheadedness that caused Charles such grief. 

"Naomi..." She wrapped her chilly hands around mine, squeezing one last time. "Take care of yourself."

And that was it.